OK, folks. Can we take a moment to acknowledge that I am posting this Ash Wednesday resource a full month before I would generally start planning Ash Wednesday worship? I’ve hear rumors of pastors who “plan ahead”–so this is for you. Whether you use this service in it’s entirety, pull out a few pieces of…
This prayer is based on Isaiah 55. God, we are thirsty and you call us to your waters. But sometimes we try to slake our thirst from other sources. Forgive us when we turn away from the living water that you offer. God, we are hungry and you offer us bread without cost. But sometimes…
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 89 and Matthew 13:31-32): We sing of God’s steadfast love, And proclaim God’s faithfulness to all generations: The faithfulness that grows a seed into a great shrub; the faithfulness that welcomes birds of the air. The faithfulness that provides sturdy branches for the nests that are built. God’s faithfulness…
When our spirits despair and we deny our blessedness, Forgive us, O God. When we ignore the mighty things you have done, When we doubt your mercy, Forgive us, O God. When we are proud in the thoughts of our hearts, When our power rests on the oppression of others, When our wealth causes others…
This week at Peace Mennonite, three people will be sharing about personal epiphanies. The call to worship is based on Psalm 19: The heavens declare and we declare the glory of God. Our voices join the speech of creation to tell of our known and unknowable God. Now may these words of our mouths and…
Call to Worship In our poverty, we await the son of Mary, Who brings good news. In our brokenheartedness, we await the Incarnate One, Who heals our hearts. In our captivity, we await the Redeemer, Who proclaims freedom. In our mourning, we await the Wonderful Counselor, Who offers comfort. In the midst of this world’s…
This week’s prayer of confession comes out of our current series on the shorter epistles, thinking about World Communion Sunday, speaking with the MCUSA Executive Board, and . . . you know . . . life in the church. Prayer of Confession God of each of us, God of all of us, Being church is…
I was reading through some of my old worship liturgies this morning and came across this prayer of confession. I wrote it with this passage from Deuteronomy 30 in mind: This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.…
I’m excited because Jill Clingan, my good friend and a fabulous writer, is preaching at Peace Mennonite this Sunday! We are still worshiping our way through Acts, and she will be focusing on Acts 21:17-26. I’ve chosen Psalm 119:33-40 as the Old Testament reading–thinking about our love for the law and the interplay of grace.…
I wish I could say that I carefully planned out our Acts series so that World Communion Sunday would correspond to Peter’s vision-fueled defense of eating with uncircumcised men. (Acts 11:1-18) But I can’t. It was all Holy Spirit . . . or dumb luck. But it is working out well. Below are a couple…
Spacious Faith 